This application relates generally to fan assemblies and, more particularly, to vibration damping systems for use with fan assemblies.
Fan assemblies typically include a fan, a motor, a fan control, and a motor housing. The fan motor and control are positioned within the motor housing and control the energization and rotation of the fan. Because fan assemblies are often used in applications which demand high air flows, fans are typically operated at high rotational speeds to provide sufficient airflow to the component. Fan imbalances and motor torque pulsations generated by such fan assemblies produce vibrations which may produce undesirable noise when conducted through mounting systems used to mount such fan assemblies within the applications.
The motors generating such operating speeds may induce potentially damaging vibrations into the fan assemblies which sometimes loosen from the component as a result of continued exposure to such vibrations. Loosening of the component may cause the associated fan assembly or the component to fail.
To prevent such failures, typically damping systems are attached to the components to minimize the effects of the induced vibrational energy from the fan motor. Such systems are intricate and expensive, and over time, continued exposure to vibrational energy may cause the damping systems to fail, allowing the vibrational energy to loosen the fan assembly from the component, potentially leading to failures of the fan assembly or the component.
In an exemplary embodiment, a fan assembly includes a vibration damping system to reduce induced vibrational energy from being induced within an application or component plenum. The fan assembly is mounted to a component plenum and includes a fan, a shroud assembly and a fan motor housing. The shroud assembly includes a shroud disposed circumferentially outward from the fan motor housing. The fan includes a plurality of blades extending from the motor housing and driven by a motor housed within the motor housing. The vibration damping system includes a plurality of arms and damping material. The vibration damping system arms extend between the fan motor housing and the shroud assembly. The damping material is attached to an end of each of the vibration damping system arms and connects each arm to the shroud assembly.
During operation, as the fan motor operates, vibrations are induced from the motor into the shroud assembly. The damping material absorbs motor induced vibrational energy and the combination of the damping material and the vibration damping system arms reduce vibrational energy to prevent such energy from exciting the component plenum. As a result, a fan assembly is provided that is reliable and cost-effective.